Many Congress biggies fielded in alien turf

Former TNCC president EVKS Elangovan (Theni), his successor Su Thirunvavukkarasar (Tiruchy), former youth wing leader A Chellakumar (Krishnagiri) and working president K Jayakumar (Tiruvallur) would be contesting outside their home constituencies. But for Thirunavukkarasar, who would only be facing DMDK there, the rest of the leaders would face an uphill task in their respective constituencies. 

Elangovan, who edged out local strongman MP JM Haroon in Theni has been pitted against a mighty Thangatamilselvan of AMMK and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam’s son Ravindranath of AIADMK in a district considered an Achilles heel of the DMK.

Poll pundits, who forecast that the DMK-led alliance would finish a distant third in the rural segment unless a strong wave against the AIADMK-BJP alliance sweeps across the state, suggest that local heavyweight Haroon would have been a safer bet and fielding an outsider like Elangovan would only scuttle their chances.

The case is no different in Krishnagiri where Chellakumar has been fielded against local AIADMK strongman KP Munusamy. Chellakumar had managed a meagre 3 per cent votes, polling just 38,885 votes contesting alone, while the victorious AIADMK candidate netted a whopping 4.8 lakh votes, against the 2.7 lakh polled by runner up DMK in last elections. 

Though a comparison of 2014 statistics when the DMK and Congress contested the Parliamentary polls separately with the changed political climate of 2019 may not be accurate, however, the cumulative numbers of DMK and Congress does not inspire confidence. 

Congress working president K Jayakumar would have to sweat it out in Tiruvallur, where the AIADMK sits comfortably in the company of the PMK. Other candidates like Jothimani (Karur), Manickam Tagore (Virudhunagar), H Vasanthakumar (Kanniyakumari) and Vishnu Prasad (Arani) have already posted their customary messages of gratitude to Rahul Gandhi and DMK president MK Stalin before starting poll work in their backyards. 

Showdown in Sivaganga

Meanwhile, the candidature of Sivaganga seems to go down the wire for Tamil Nadu Congress. Both Karti Chidambaram and Sudarshana Natchiappan are pulling the strings to secure the ticket, which, they believe, could be a walk in the park. 

More than the support of the DMK, the defection of Raja Kannappan to the opposition camp and the Congress leaders have pinned their hopes on the candidature of BJP leader H Raja there.

Originally considered a favourite for the seat, chances of Chidambaram junior were scuttled by Natchiappan who has been given a strong push by AICC general secretary KC Venugopal. Congress sources in the know said that Rahul and Venugopal had objected to fielding an heir of a leader. However, the decision was put on hold after TNCC chief KS Alagiri, aptly supported by former PM Manmohan Singh and former ministers Ambika Soni and AK Anthony drew the national president’s attention to heirs of Mallikarjuna Kharge and Siddaramaiah being in the poll fray. A meeting between Rahul and Chidambaram senior scheduled for late Saturday, sources suggested, could end the impasse.